Q-BUS primer?

[Allison]

>
>Subject: Q-BUS primer?
>   From: "Dave Dunfield" <dave06a at dunfield.com>
>   Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:12:16 -0500
>     To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
>
>Hi Guys,
>
>Recently acquired a goodly amount of DEC gear - I had put the Q-BUS
>stuff aside while I got the "all in one" VAXstation/VAXservers up and
>running, but I'm starting to collect information - I've no experience
>whatsoever with Q-bus, but from what I've read, I understand that it
>will take a bit of research to determine how to properly configure
>and position the boards.

Here comes a huge first shot.  Any questions ask.  I've likely answered 
them before.  I have here most every Qbus configuration for PDP-11
and a few DEC would never support and a few Qbus uVAX too.  All 
operational.  

If you liked programming the 6809 the PDP-11 will be familair
and even nicer.  (CUBIX-11).

Any (and all) of the late 70s through mid 80s "MicroComputer Handbooks"
[microcomputers and memories, Microcomputer interfacing handbook]
DEC put out.  They are chock full of info, explanation and are just 
gotta have items. The PDP11 and MicroVAX have heavy overlap in the
Q-bus realm so any and all info for one will be helpfull for the other.

Those books will help with..

 PDP11 programming  (or microVAX)
 PDP11 modules and their jumpers
 Standard addresses for various functions 
 Some info on standard configurations including what board goes where.
 Boot code for many devices
 Mxxxx to function conversion
 DEC history!

>I'm hoping that I have enough material to built up at least one
>(possibly 2) nice little PDP-11's, and/or a MicroVax II)

To make a system you need roughtly (pdp11).

 A box with power, backplane and at least minimal front pannel 
 (three switch)

 A CPU be it LSI-11 or M8186 the latter is mroe versitile.

 An SL serial port configured as console (dl11 or better DLV11J OR MXV11)
  My prefernce is the 11j and seperate ram as the MXV is a sea of jumpers.
  However teh MXV-11 Two or up to 4 total make for a compact systems with
  boot and IO galore. the MXV11s mostly seenare limited to Q18 configurations 
  due to limited address decoding but fully populated boards times four
  Gives you 64KW (128KB) with is a moderately large memory system and 
  also 8 serial lines 4 PPI!  Popular card for embedded systems.  

 Memory at least 4K more for an OS (16k minimum)

 To run an OS some form of mass storage 
(could be a Tu58 emulator running on a PC on A serial port) 
 A good OS to start with is RT-11, compact, small ram fooprint
 and can run from any device 256k or larger, looks like dos. ;)


NOTE:  The LSI-11 is the oldest and has some bus configuration items to
pay attnetion to.  It's limited to 32KW addressing (Q16) and when you remove 
the IO page (PDP-11 and VAX use memory mapped IO) typical space is 26KW
(big for basic 11).  The M8186 is the F11 cipset and has MMU also 
(Q18/Q22) can address larger memory.  Most all 8186s I've seen despite
handbooks claims of only Q18 addressing do Q22 (22bit).  It's also much 
faster than the LSI-11.

>At this point, all I'm really looking for is a good "starting point".
>Can anyone recomment a good document/resources for a Q-bus newbie?
>
>Btw, this is what I've got - If there's anything I'm obviously missing,
>or will have to find extra parts for, please advise me so that I can
>start looking...
>
>Three chassis:
>  BA-23: complete with outer shell and end caps. It bears a
>  "MicroVAX II" label on the console switch panel, and has a
>  floppy drive (dual disk) installed in it.

The dual floppy is RX50.  The front pannel is processor specific as are 
the real pannel (if present!) inserts.  That box works for both Q-bus
11 cpus and Qbus uVAX cpus.

>  I don't know the model numbers for the next two:
>  - One looks like a BA32 but smaller, and has the "3-switch" PDP
>    console/display panel on it. The cards are inserted from the
>    front beside the panel.

BA11N BAllVA???  Should have a label somewhere identifying it.

>  - The last one is the smallest, looks much like the one above,
>    complete with 3-switch console/display panel, however instead
>    of metal side/top/bottom plates, it has a "wire cage". It also
>    has a second expansion chassis of similar construction with no
>    power supply or console panel.

Generally the DEC backplanes are wirecage to cupport the guides and the 
backplane at the end with power and control connectors.

>I've got the following DEC Q-BUS cards:
>(Descriptions taken from the "Field Guide to Q-BUS and Unbus modules"
>
>M3106       4-line async
>M7264       11/03 processor with 4-Kword RAM

That is the base "LSI-11" cpu card.  Use in many machines and even 
the H11.

>M7504       Ethernet adapter (older DEQNA)

 Older and often flaky, if it works keep it, if unsure keep it.

>M7546       TMSCP controller for TK50
>M7555       Winchester and floppy disk controller

 AKA the RQDX3 controller for MFM and floppy(RX50 and RX33 
aka TEAC FD55GFR).

>M7606       MicroVAX II KA630
>M7608   x2  2/4 MB RAM (boards are fully populated)

  uVAXII cpu has matching ram with an over the top IDE cable.
  M7608 is ONLY for uVAXII.

>M7940   x2  SLU Module

 DL-11 card, generic serial line interface.  That an older 
one but very useable.  Pair that up with LSI-11 cpu.
  
>M7944   x3  4-Kword RAM
 
 Goes with the LSI-11 CPU.

>M7946   x2  RX01 floppy disk controller

It's not teh FDC it's really only the bus interface to the FDC.
The drive RX01 has a simple randome logic processor to do all the 
heavy lifiting.  RX01 is SSSD 8" standard.

>M8043   x2  4-SLU peripheral interface

 DLV11J, the standard 4 serial line interface for QBUS.

>M8044DB x2  32Kword RAM
>M8044DF x2  32Kword RAM

 For qbus 11 systems.

>M8047       RAM, Async, ROMs

 MXV11 compact card with a million jumpers that gives you
 yp to 32kB of ram, ROm, 2 serial(DL compatable) and parallel(8255).

>M8186       11/23 CPU

 First generation F11 cpu, fine board has uODT in microcode.
 ODT is a very simple Octal based (all 11s are octal) monitor debugger.

>M9047       Grant continuity

 Always handy for filling holes.  The bus is wires such that interrupt 
and DMA grant are passed through eash card so that the highest priority 
requestor is nearest the CPU.
 
>M9400YA     120-ohm terminators with refresh & floppy boot

used with Qbus 11 cpus that are romless.  can boot RX01 and I think
two otehr devicves

>M9400YE     Headers and 250 Ohm resistors

bus terminator reqired in some cases optional in others not wanted in some.

>I've also got the following third party cards - I don't know
>anything about these, other than the identifying marks found
>on the boards listed below - if anyone can provide more
>information on these, that would be helpful: (Several of them
>appear to be media controllers of one sort or another).
>
>Andromedia Systems UDC-11 rev H   (50 pin connector at front edge)

Memory says same as RQDXn.  desireable board if you have info.

>Micro Technology Inc. MSV05B (x2) (50 pin connector at front edge)
>TD Systems TDL-11H/A              (50 pin connwctor at front edge)
>Xylogics "Wizard 1"               (50 pin connector at front edge)
>SDC-RXVZ1 "8202 FD Controller"    (50 pin connector at front edge)
>Versatec LSI-11 P/P Interface     (40 pin connector at front edge)
>Sigma Information Systems Assy 40100
>  - This board has one 40 + one 50 pin connector, and a place to
>    populate another 40 pin - none are at the front edge.
>W951 "Flip Chip"
>  - This board has places for various sized chips (most of them populated)
>    with pins to wire-wrap connections between them - looks like some sort
>    of prototyping board.
>
>+ A couple of the little grant continuity boards.
>
>I don't expect this to be a short journy, but it should be interesting...
>Thanks in advance for any advice/tips.
>
>Regards,
>Dave
>
>
>--
>dave06a (at)    Dave Dunfield
>dunfield (dot)  Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com
>com             Collector of vintage computing equipment:
>                http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/index.html